The present invention relates to a new, novel and distinct variety of peach tree, Prunus persica, which has been denominated varietally as xe2x80x98Burpeachseventeenxe2x80x99.
The present variety of peach tree resulted from an on-going program of fruit and nut tree breeding. The purpose of this program is to improve the commercial quality of deciduous fruit and nut varieties, and rootstocks, by creating and releasing promising new selections of prunus, malus and regia species. To this end we make both controlled and hybrid cross pollinations each year in order to produce seedling populations from which improved progenies are evaluated and selected.
The seedling xe2x80x98Burpeachseventeenxe2x80x99 was originated by us from a population of seedlings grown in our experimental orchards located near Fowler, Calif. The seedlings, grown on their own roots, were the result of a controlled cross of the yellow-fleshed, clingstone peach tree, xe2x80x98Rossxe2x80x99, (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,863), which was used as the seed parent, and the yellow-fleshed, clingstone peach tree, xe2x80x98H6-55xe2x80x99, (unpatented), which was used as the pollen parent. One seedling, which is the present variety, exhibited especially desirable characteristics and was designated as xe2x80x98C17.044xe2x80x99. This seedling was marked for subsequent observation. After the 1997 fruiting season, the new variety of peach tree was selected for advanced evaluation and repropagation.
Asexual reproduction of this new and distinct variety of peach tree was accomplished by budding the new peach tree to xe2x80x98Nemaguardxe2x80x99 Rootstock (non-patented). This was performed by us in our experimental orchard which is located near Fowler, Calif. Subsequent evaluations have shown those asexual reproductions run true to the original tree. All characteristics of the original tree, and its fruit, were established and appear to be transmitted through succeeding asexual propagations.
xe2x80x98Burpeachseventeenxe2x80x99 is a new and distinct variety of peach tree, which is considered of large size, and which has vigorous growth. This new peach tree is also a regular and productive bearer of relatively large, firm, yellow fleshed, clingstone fruit, which have good flavor and eating qualities. This new tree displays a chilling requirement of approximately 650 hours, and further produces relatively uniformly sized fruit throughout the entire tree. The fruit produced by this new variety of peach tree has a non-melting flesh which makes it ideal for canning. In addition to the foregoing the fruit of this new tree also appears to have good handling and shipping qualities. The xe2x80x98Burpeachseventeenxe2x80x99 peach tree bears fruit which are ripe for commercial harvesting and shipment on approximately July 17 to July 25 under the ecological conditions prevailing in the San Joaquin Valley of central California. In relative comparison with the xe2x80x98Rossxe2x80x99 peach tree, which is the seed parent, the present new variety of peach tree bears fruit which ripen about 8 days earlier at the same geographical location.